Read real books. Keep the words that matter.

A local-first desktop reading app for language learners who want to build vocabulary from real content — not flashcard decks.

Download freeSee how it works

Local-first · BYOK AI · Free tier available

The old man sat alone in his study, surrounded by towers of dustycovered with dust books. He had spent a lifetime accumulatinggathering over time knowledge, yet felt overwhelmedunable to cope by how much remained unknown.

"Wisdom," he murmuredsaid softly, "is not about knowing everything. It's about understanding what truly matters."

Why this exists

Most reading apps treat vocabulary as an afterthought. You look up a word, forget it, look it up again. Your reading gets interrupted, your word lists are disconnected from what you actually read, and your data lives on someone else's server.

  • —You read an EPUB book in the app — any book you choose
  • —Words above your level are automatically highlighted based on difficulty filtering
  • —You tap a word to save it — the word, its sentence, and surrounding context are stored together
  • —AI explains the word in context using your own API key — no subscription, no middleman
  • —When you're ready, export your saved words to Anki with one click — complete with source sentences
  • —Everything stays on your machine. Your vocabulary, your reading data, your control.

That's it. Read, save, review. No gimmicks.

Everything you need between reading and review

Five tools that connect reading to lasting vocabulary.

Difficulty Filtering

Set your level. Only words above it get highlighted. You read naturally — no wall of annotations.

Contextual Word Saving

Save words with the source sentence and surrounding paragraph. When you review, you remember where you read it.

AI Explanations (BYOK)

"Get" has 20+ meanings. The AI explains this specific usage in this sentence. Uses your own API key — OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek, or any compatible provider.

Anki Export

One-click export to .apkg. Cards include the word, definition, source sentence, and context. Spaced repetition with real reading memories.

Local-First & Private

SQLite database on your machine. No account required. No cloud sync. Full offline access. Export everything anytime.

Who it's for

Good fit if you…

  • Read books or long articles in a foreign language
  • Use Anki or spaced repetition for vocabulary
  • Want vocabulary from real reading, not pre-made decks
  • Care about owning your data locally
  • Prefer one-time purchase or free tools over subscriptions

Probably not for you if…

  • Want a mobile-first app (desktop only for now)
  • Need guided courses or structured lessons
  • Prefer cloud sync across multiple devices

Straightforward pricing

Free

$0
  • Full EPUB reading with difficulty filtering
  • Contextual word saving and word book
  • Export to Anki

Pro

$29one-time
  • Full EPUB reading with difficulty filtering
  • Contextual word saving and word book
  • Export to Anki
  • AI word explanations (BYOK)
  • Bilingual paragraph translation

AI features require your own API key. We never charge for API usage — you pay providers directly.

FAQ

What formats does LinguistReader support?+
EPUB files. You can import any DRM-free EPUB book or article. PDF support is not currently available.
What does BYOK mean?+
Bring Your Own Key. You provide your own API key from OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek, Google, Groq, or any OpenAI-compatible provider. The app connects directly — no middleman, no markup.
Is my data stored in the cloud?+
No. All data is stored locally in a SQLite database on your machine. There is no cloud account, no sync, and no server storing your reading data. You can export everything at any time.
Can I use it offline?+
Yes. Reading, word saving, and Anki export all work fully offline. AI explanations require an internet connection to reach your API provider.
Which platforms are supported?+
macOS and Windows. LinguistReader is a desktop application. There is no mobile version at this time.

Start reading. Start keeping words.

Available for macOS and Windows. Free to use.